This major project is to create a new tram storage shed south of the current museum in a narrow strip of land between the highway and the railway roughly opposite Loftus Signal Box.
This shed will consist of a two road shed approximately long enough to store six ‘standard’ tram cars. A set of points will be provided in the mainline to access the shed.
This drawing, (which unfortunately has suffered from being shrunk then scanned), shows the general layout. The Illawarra railway is at the top, the curved line along the bottom is the highway. The ex Enfield water tank at the south end of the shed is next to the Bunya pine. The 3 pine trees at this location are subject to heritage listings and are the main constraint of the site.
More details can be found on the Sutherland Council web site, put DA10/1250 in the Application number box. Then follow the links/tabs to ‘Documents’.
As the project progresses, photographs will be added here.
Quick Jump
- October 2012
- May 2013
- June 2013
- August 2013 Concreting the eastern track
- October 2013
- April 2014
- January 2015 – Move of 93u, KET 22 and Brisbane 71
2012
June
Two ‘franna’ cranes were hired to ‘clean up’ the site. Their major task was to work together to relocate the Enfield water tank further south and clear of the building site. Other assorted heavy items like tram trucks and other metalwork were also relocated by the machines.
September
15th September
Site excavation and levelling. Work begins!
Road base has been placed on the track in places to allow trucks and other machines to drive over it with out damaging them selves or the track.
Most photos supplied by Martin Pinches.
29th September
Contractors have completed the foundations and retaining walls. This view is looking south in the front door of the shed.
October
10th October
Side cladding is started. The contractors made extensive use of a pair of mobile work platforms.
Martin Pinches
14th October
Frame and long side walls are up. Materials for the roof are on site
Matthew Geier
15th October
The end walls were completed and a start made on the roof.
Martin Pinches
24th October
The construction is pretty well complete. Only the large entry doors and down pipes remain. The current building contract doesn’t include a floor. The floor will be later project – track panels have to be constructed, then lined and levelled before the floor slab can be cast.
The 24th was a Wednesday – the builders haven’t been working on a Wednesday as the need to have the power off while they work would interfere with regular Wednesday operations, hence the deserted looking site.
Matthew Geier
28th October
The construction phase is now complete, with the building now secure. The internal fit out is not part of this current works. The Development Application does however require some landscaping works and the planting of climbing plants to ‘hide’ the building.
Richard Jones
Fit out – November
17th November
The shed has no power yet, but as the museum had the light fittings ‘in stock’ they are being put in place now as volunteer time to do the job comes available.
Danny Adamopoulos
2013
March
Due to a need to get some off-site stored trams back to Loftus, a push is on to get at least one track laid in the South Shed.
30th March
Rails being prepared for one road in the South Shed. As the shed doesn’t yet have any power, these rails are have been laid out in the ‘cess’ between depot junction and the ‘top gate’ as 3 phase power is available at this location to power the welder. When welded, the two lengths will be dragged up the hill and positioned in the shed. Then they will be concreted into position.
Danny Adamopoulos
Over several weekends in March, the trucks and other steel that was between the road and the tramway were moved – mostly between the tram line and the railway fence, but some steel was taken down to Railway Square to be cut up and used for points components.
May
11th May
On Saturday the 11th of May, Canini Excavations were hired to use their machines to move some earth and excavate drainage trenches. However, the volume of soil to be moved was too large and more than half the day was taken just preparing to excavate trenches for drainage pipe. As it turns out, only a trench for water got done, and another visit will be required dig the drainage trenches and prepare the eastern road in the shed for rail laying.
18th May
Canini was back to do some more earth works.
Danny Adamopoulos
Illustrated here is the earthworks inside the shed, the two parallel trenches are the foundation for the rails. The lengths of rail prepared some weeks back will be placed in position over these trenches and then the whole lot concreted into position, the trenches making the concrete slab thicker under the rails where it will have to support the weight of a tram. Pipes for drainage will also be installed before the concrete goes in.
June
The previously prepared lengths of rail were dragged up the hill and placed in position over the trenches dug last month.
Martin Pinches
26th June
The rails for the eastern road of the shed are now in position, but due to flooding caused by the extensive rain Sydney has had in the last week or so, the shed is more of an indoor swimming pool. Drains to carry away this excess water are also being installed so the shed will not flood when complete.
August
9th August
On Friday the 9th of August, a special work day was organized to concrete the rails for the eastern track. Concrete was ordered 2-3m at a time for delivery in small trucks, the first truck appearing was surplus which was put to good use. 8 truckloads later we had the track ‘4ft’ concreted and a small left over section of cess near Depot Junction done as well. Small concrete trucks were specially requested as the trucks had to back up the track from Depot junction or be able to turn around in the small space in front of the shed. Most drivers backed up, one tried turning near the shed.
14th August
More concrete was placed in the shed, between the previously concrete track and the eastern wall. This was done in panels so allow the concrete to be levelled.
Matthew Geier
16th August
Canini were back with his machines to excavate the foundation trench for the western track in the shed and to complete the drainage trench for the shed. No concrete was placed due to a lack of people to place it.
24th August
Work continues apace. The rails for the western track in the shed were dragged up into the shed and put into position. Gauge bars made of angle iron and threaded rod hold the rails together. Rails are set on stacks of concrete blocks and the levels set.
The same day also saw a drainage junction pit constructed. A concrete ‘pad’ had been cast into the bottom of the hole earlier. These pits are somewhat over engineered, but it’s quite possible one day we will be driving loaded forklifts alongside the shed so the pits are being built to take that sort of abuse.
Martin Pinches
September
A steady procession of surplus concrete deliveries through the month allowed the western track to also concreted completely with donated concrete
October
16th October
With the good run of surplus concrete during September allowing the western track in the shed to be concreted, preparations are being made to concrete the ‘6ft’ between the two roads.
Martin Pinches
23rd October
More surplus concrete is put to good use. This lot has completed the western cess in this shed.
A concrete truck picks it way around trams at Railway Square.
Martin Pinches
30th October
A start is made on the centre (the six foot). There seems to be a mini building boom in the shire, meaning Concrite are dropping off lots of surplus concrete. On ‘running days’ the concrete truck drivers carefully negotiate their way around the trams.
November
1st November
With a couple of members spending their Friday’s at the museum and being able to receive concrete, we are getting supplies of surplus on two days a week, hence the rapid progress. This photo was taken on the Saturday morning after. The concreting of the centre is now about 3/4 down the shed. The two drains are roughly at the 3rd points. The same members Fridays contributed greatly to the TAFE cutting works as well.
6th November
Probably in record time and at minimum cost, the floor of the shed is now complete. On Wednesday the 6th our local concrete people arrived with more surplus concrete and the floor was finished. In fact more than enough concrete was offered and some went up to TAFE cutting as well.
Martin Pinches
The shed project moves into a new phase that will require more earthworks – the outside access tracks. There will possibly be a pause in this project while the logistics of constructing the access tracks is worked out.
2014
April
During this month a temporary track is being constructed connecting to the western track in the shed to allow some trams to be shunted up into the shed for long term storage. This will allow some trams stored off site to return.
Photo by Martin Pinches.
May
The temporary track has now extended to block the mainline. With the National Park line still unavailable due to overhead damage, the opportunity is being taken to do this while traffic is already interrupted.
Martin Pinches
2015
22nd January
A long-awaited move occurred with Sydney Ballast motor 93u, KET 22 and Brisbane 71 moved from the ‘top shed’ aka the ‘Secondary Operations Building’ to the new south shed. This is to make space for the imminent arrival of Y1 611, which is in near operational condition. (It will need minor work to make it fit for traffic.)
93u and KET 22 have no motors/wiring and had to be towed / pushed, but Brisbane 71 was able to largely move itself under the careful control and supervision of the maintenance manager. 99u and the Matador were used as tow/push vehicles.
Martin Pinches
2017
17th June, 2017
The eastern road was cleared to enable the fire contractors clear access with their EWP (Elevated Work Platform) to facilitate installation of a sprinkler system.
Matthew Geier
5th July, 2017
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Chief engineer Richard Clarke inspecting the work so far. -
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2018
Work has recently commenced on connecting the South Shed to the museum's main power supply. A trench has been excavated to allow ducting to be laid between the shed, and the No. 2 substation where 415v mains is available.
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Conduits pass through the wall and under the track. -
Electrical pits have been laid next to the National Park line. These provide the change of direction for the ducts, which then run underground alongside the track to the No.2 substation.
April 2019
More conduits have been laid and the trench extended towards the substation.
April 2020
A further series of conduits and a new power switch have been bolted to a nearby overhead pole, and the trench filled in.
Meanwhile, cable trays have been installed inside the shed itself to allow for future wiring to run above ground, and reach the power box that's located on the highway side of the shed.
October 2020
Closer to No.2 Substation, a new trench was recently dug out to allow new conduits for the South Shed power supply to be laid. This was work was done within a few weeks and the trench has now been filled in.
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Conduits pass up into the floor of the substation to allow for new cables to be run through and connected up to the existing power supply. -
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April 2021
10th April
CSO Workers have made significant progress extending the conduits trench further south from the power service pits laid three years ago, meeting up with another trench they've dug out which runs across the front of the south shed, and to a previously excavated pit on the highway side of the building. It is hoped this trench can have conduits and plumbing laid by next week, allowing it to be quickly filled in so as to allow minimal disruption to museum passenger services.
17th April
CSO Workers laid water piping and electrical/communications conduits within the trench running across the South Shed entrance in the hours before lunchtime, allowing it to be filled in by the end of the day.
24th April
Two electrical service pits have been installed and connected to several newly laid conduits in the railway facing trench. A further set of conduits are to be laid between the service pits in this area next week, before this trench can be filled in and work continued further south.
May 2021
1st May
The rest of the conduits were laid between the newly installed pits, allowing the trench to be filled in by the afternoon. Currently the service pits are partially above ground, as it is intended to raise the height of the adjacent tram track in the longer term when it is relaid in concrete. This is will see the rails and pits level with each other.
August 2021
7th August
During lockdown, a small group of members continued to carry out essential maintenance of the museum. This included completing the remaining section and conduit works in this area, with the size of a previously excavated trench increased.
14th August
The remaining stretch of trench to have conduits laid was widened and ready for conduit installation.
28th August
Electrical and communication conduits were laid and connected to their respective pits. A water main was also installed for future use.
September 2021
4th September
Backfilling of the trench commenced, with only small amount left to be completed.
11th September
Trench back filling was completed, with only small sections surrounding the pits left to be done. Additionally, more cable trays at the southern end of the shed were also installed, with conduits placed through the retaining wall for future access to the pit.
October 2021
Two new water taps have been installed.
